Ghirardelli at Epcot's International Food and Wine Festival Center

By:Nick

There are some sweet creations and free chocolate samples to be had at Epcot's International Food and Wine Festival Center.

The Chocolate Experience: From Bean to the Bar is presented by Ghirardelli Chocolate.

Here you can find the history of Ghirardelli...

...learn about how chocolate is made...

...and DRINK chocolate! No, it's not like drinking a hot chocolate. This is "Drinking Chocolate", and it is like sipping on an amazing chocolate bar! You can also buy wine, but I was just there for  the chocolate!

You can also buy chocolate bars of course.

Bags of the little sample sizes.

Build your own tin with whatever flavor you'd like.

There are even artistic creations created with the sweets on display.

 

If you look closely, you may spot a couple of hidden Mickey's in the display below.
 

For last years chocolate art creations, please check out this great article from our friend Gaylin. And did I mention the free samples? It's worth stopping by this wonderful spot if just for that!

Intricate Edible Art

Guest Writer Wednesday

Intricate Edible Art
By:Gaylin

I planned my last trip so I would be there for the last couple of days of the Food & Wine Festival at Epcot. I went into the Festival Welcome Center to check out the shop and see what might be on display.

At the Ghirardelli space set up there I was very pleased to find the following chocolate sculptures, they are behind glass and an oddly lit area so my photos don't do this artwork justice. (And if there is a next time, I will remember to turn the darn flash off!)

Cinderella's Castle

Mickey the Sorcerer

Captain Jack Sparrow

Nightmare Before Christmas

Fish are chocolate! Finding Nemo

There was a line-up at the Ghirardelli counter of people waiting to get a cup of drinking chocolate. Since I have had drinking chocolate before I skipped the line-up.

Later that afternoon I was at the Ireland booth getting a flourless chocolate lava cake. I had on my birthday button and was chatting up the CM, I asked for a bit of extra Bailey's ganache on top of my cake because it was my birthday. Bless his heart, this is what I got:

Two lava cakes and a veritable lake of ganache. Now that is real chocolate art!! Yes, I did lick the plate.